


fingertips

by livvie00



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Car Racing, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Strangers to Lovers, Street Racing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:14:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24304234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livvie00/pseuds/livvie00
Summary: Donghyuck never thought he even had a soulmate, but then he touched Mark Lee and suddenly flower marks were spreading from his heart to his fingertips.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Jeno/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas, Liu Yang Yang/Xiao De Jun | Xiao Jun, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	fingertips

**Author's Note:**

> Hellooo,  
> this is kind of a heart project for me. I've been building this world and story in only one sleepless night but the process of writing has been really hard for me.  
> I'm a perfectionist so having the courage to put this first chapter out here was a lot.
> 
> I hope you enjoy and stay for the rest of the journey, i have so much in my head i wanna give into this.
> 
> Thank you and much love <33

"There's a newbie in today's race." Yangyang tells them. He and Dejun sit on the table in the workshop while Donghyuck works on his car. There isn't anything to do, he just likes to check everything before every race.   
"Where is he from? Here or outside?" Dejun's soft voice rings through the room. Donghyuck comes up from under his car and sees the two of them holding hands on top of the table. Their flower marks winding and connecting. Yangyang speaks up again. "From outside. I've heard he's from Canada but I don't know for sure."

  
"What does someone from Canada want here?" Dejun takes Yang's hand up and plays with it, the flowers spreading even wider.

  
"I have no clue, Ying, maybe family here?"

Yangyang stares at their connected hands, the way his soulmate softly plays with his fingers, the flowers tingling in his skin.

Donghyuck can understand them. Finding your soulmate must be a crazy thing and they have only found out 3 months ago. A mere coincidence when they bumped into each other at one of the after parties after a race. But they fit so perfectly, just like ying and yang, how Yangyang likes to call them. It's adorable really.  
Sometimes Donghyuck wonders how it would feel like for him. But he doesn't know if he wants to know. If he needs it.

Jaemin sticks his head into the room. "Are you done? We have to leave if we want to be on time." 

  
"Yeah yeah, sure", Donghyuck answered climbing out from under his car again, "I just need to get my gloves from upstairs. Jaehyun fixed them." 

  
Jaemin leaves in the moment Dejun hops from the table. He stands in front of his boyfriend, placing a kiss on his lips. "I wanna see the newbie before the race."   
"Aha", Yangyang says with raised brows, "am I not interesting enough anymore? Are you gonna bet on a new driver now?"   
The black haired boy rolls his eyes. "If I ever had to bet on a driver it would be Hyuck because, if you haven't noticed, he's my partner, I am his advisor. Sorry Yang."   
Donghyuck laughs and turns to receive his gloves from Jaehyun, they really need to leave soon. He has a race to win.

  
~

  
When Donghyuck arrives at the racing course it's already busy. People are running around, fixing last things on their cars or just standing together and talking. And that's what he finds his friends doing. The driver leaves his car and walks over to his group of friends. Yangyang and Jaemin are of course already in their racing gear. Renjun fumbling around on Jaemin's suit like a mother with her son.  
"Renjun I told you, it's fine!" Jaemin sounds almost annoyed. "It's not fine you dumbass, you can't--" Donghyuck barges into them, wrapping his arms around Jaemin from behind, leaning his chin on the other's shoulder. 

"What has he done this time, Jun?"l

Jaemin splutters, "I did nothing, the suit-"   
Renjun looks at him pointedly and he shuts up. The smaller turns to face Donghyuck again. "He managed to get his shirt stuck in the zipper of his jacket. And instead of coming to me directly", he scrowls at the blonde, "he ripped at it and now even I can't get it out but he can't just drive with a half open jacket."  
Donghyuck takes Renjun's fingers from Jaemin's chest, he let's out a big sigh. "Let me." 

  
With nimble fingers he manages to get the shirt out of Jaemin's zipper, zipping the Jacket up to the top and patting Jaemin's chest when it's closed. The taller boy takes his hands into his own and smiles down at him. A blinding smile that Donghyuck can't resist. "What would I do without you?" Jaemin bursts and plants a big kiss on Donghyuck's lips. 

  
"Ewww! Keep that away from me!" Chenle screeches. 

  
Donghyuck rolls his eyes, "Yeah yeah, kid."   
"I'm just a year younger than you", Chenle protests but get's interrupted when every head around them turns to the new black car rolling onto the course. Nobody they know drives a car like that, so it has to be the newbie.  
"It's the new one", Hendery confirms, "do we know anything about him?" He looks around.  
"His name is Mark Lee," Jisung pipes up and everyone turns to him with questions gazes. "Don't look at me like that I just heard a lot of people talk. He's from Canada but moved here because of family. I don't know much about his driving skills but he can't be that bad if he races here." 

  
To say Donghyuck is not intrigued would be a lie. A newbie from Canada here in his first race. He looks back over to the car and sees two people leave it. From the passenger seat a very tall boy emerges. He has brown hair and very broad shoulders. But he doesn't wear any racing gear, so Donghyuck can confirm for himself that he's not 'Mark Lee'.   
Donghyuck sees someone from the garages running to the tall boy. He has a headset on, so Donghyuck best guess is that he's the newbie's advisor. He runs into the brunette, wrapping his arms around him. An instant smile spreads on his face and he leans down to kiss the smaller man.  
Donghyuck looks away. And that's when he sees who stands on the other side of the new car. The boy is wearing official racing gear. But instead of Donghyuck's own blue jacket, it's mostly black with green and red highlights. When Donghyuck looks up he sees black, slightly longer strands of hair framing a very handsome face. High cheekbones and dark eyes that look around almost innocently.  
The three men that arrived to the course the last catch the attention of almost everyone there. It's not everyday that someone new comes to the city and starts racing here. It's exciting for everyone.  
"Hey, so if Hyuck has stared enough I think we should go and introduce ourselves. Right? Right."   
"Yangyang I was not staring," Donghyuck spins around to hiss at his friend.  
"Hmm, tell that Mr. absolutely your type Mark Lee, because," he's gesturing for the newbies to come over," he's coming over here."

  
"Hi."

  
Donghyuck hates himself for thinking he's even more handsome from up close.   
"Hey," Jaemin puts on his most blinding smile, "so you are Mark Lee, huh. Nice to finally meet you." 

  
Mark is understandably taken aback for a second, but when Jaemin offers him his hand he takes it with a strong grip.  
"Yes, that should be me. This," he points to the smaller boy beside him, "is Jeno. He's my advisor. And this, is Yukhei. My partner and Jeno's boyfriend."  
Donghyuck sees their hands slightly fidgeting with each other and sees the flowers slightly winding on their skin. 

  
Delphinium and Lilac.

Soulmates.

  
For a fleeting moment Donghyuck thinks if Mark has a soulmate as well. He chases that thought away.

  
"Great," he hears Yangyang's loud voice and it rips him out of his thoughts. "I'm Yangyang, this is Hendery and Chenle. Over there are Jisung, Renjun and Jaemin" they all raise their hands for a small wave or nod at the three new boys.  
"And then for last we have Dejun, my soulmate," he puts extra emphasis on the word soulmate, "and Donghyuck, he is our little ace here, you're going to love him."   
There's just a second of silence but it feels impossible long for Donghyuck since Mark's eyes are on him. And he hates it as much as he loves it.

  
Jeno is the first to speak up. "Well nice to meet you all, I hope we can be friends." The way his eyes crinkle into little crescents when he smiles is probably the reason everyone is ready to accept that.

  
"So Mark," Yangyang speaks up again, "some of us," Donghyuck would like to punch him for the way he deliberately looks back at him, "have a great interest in you, tell us something about yourself."   
Mark's smile is almost shy, his eyes seem to stay at Donghyuck who stands opposite of him and Donghyuck has never felt so uncomfortable in his life. He feels like Mark could look deep into him, even if his gaze is just tracing him at the moment. So he mutters out an excuse about having forgotten something in his car.  
And because Yangyang is an asshole, he smirks at him.

  
Oh Yangyang's smirk annoys Donghyuck so much.

  
Because he's right. Mark Lee could definitely be Donghyuck's type and that's what irks Donghyuck so much. He wants nothing with maybe crushes or soon to be dates. So he growls at Yangyang and turns around to walk to his car. Jaemin hot on his heels.

  
"Hey, hey where are you going? You know Yang was only joking."

  
"Yeah, I know," Donghyuck sighs as he leans against the side of his car, "I'm just not in the mood for this kind of jokes right now." He runs his hands down his face.   
"I just wanna win this race."  
"And you will," Jaemin holds his waist, "He's just a newbie. How good can he be."

  
~

  
Apparently this newbie can be really good. Because he won and no one expected it. Especially not Donghyuck and he's furious.

"Donghyuck calm down, you can't start a fight now."

Donghyuck brushes Dejun off. "I'm not going to fight, Jun. I'm mad at myself for not taking him serious. But it's not going to happen again."

Donghyuck just can't understand how that happened. He hadn't lost a race in months! Almost a year now since Jaehyun stopped. And it's annoying the fuck out of him that he underestimated the newbie and now he just wants to go home.  
Because even after all this he can't stop thinking about Mark Lee. And how much he would really like to touch him.  
Donghyuck almost crashes into Jaemin when he runs to the garage to get his things. 

"Hey!" Donghyuck wants to push Jaemin off but the other boy grips his hands and holds him still. "What's gotten into you? Calm down!" The smaller instantly deflated when he looks into Jaemin's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why this is bugging me so much. Too many emotions today I think?"  
Jaemin's voice sounds so soft in Donghyuck's ear when he holds him close. His body is warm after the race even through the layers of racing gear all over his body.

"It's okay," that's all he says to Donghyuck. All he needs to say.  
Taking a few deep breaths Donghyuck untangles himself from his best friend when he hears someone call his name.

"Hey! Donghyuck, right?" 

When he turns around, Mark Lee is walking in his direction. He looks happy, and he should be he just won his first race here. But as much as Donghyuck hates to see it because he would have loved to have something to hate, there's not a trace of cockiness on the other's face. It's almost annoying how friendly he looks. Donghyuck smiles back.

"Yeah, the one and only you just beat on your first race. I really wanna hate you for that."   
He completely let's go off Jaemin's hands and body, crossing his arms before his body. Mark stops a meter before him with a laugh leaving his lips.

"Then I almost want to apologise for it. Even if I don't have to, because you really didn't make it easy for me out there."

"I wasn't at my best today, so I have to warn you for next time. You won't win again." He's still smiling, seeing Mark's eyes shine, and he feels his own glowing up as well. Maybe, he thinks, Mark could be a good friend even if he beat him today.

"I'll be watching out for you," Mark holds out a gloved hand to Donghyuck, "can't wait for next time, it was a pleasure to meet you Lee Donghyuck."  
Donghyuck takes the hand with his own.   
"The pleasure is mine, Mark Lee." 

  
~

  
Donghyuck thinks a lot about Mark Lee. He sees him only a few times at first, but even between him and his friends he, Jeno and Yukhei are often topic. May it be about races or because Renjun and Hendery got really close to the trio.   
Donghyuck hates thinking about Mark, he's not supposed to think about Mark. There's just something intriguing about him. Maybe it's because he's a good racer, he's definitely good looking, Donghyuck has to admit that, he's not blind.  
Maybe it's just because he and his friends are the first new faces to the race since years. Yangyang joined 3 years ago but they kind of knew him before so it doesn't really count. When he looks over to the latter sitting on a couch in Renjun's apartment he notices Jaemin looking at him with a questioning gaze.  
The younger stands up and walks over to Donghyuck sitting on the kitchens island. Standing between his legs he puts his hands on Donghyuck's legs. The warmth of his hands grounds Donghyuck.  
"You look like you have a lot on your mind. Care to share?" Jaemin begins thrumming his fingers on his outer thighs. It's a calming rhythm.   
Donghyuck closes his eyes and hums. "Nah, I don't know. Just thinking about the next race." 

"Are you afraid you're gonna lose," there's a pause between Jaemin's words. "Because you don't have to be. You beat Mark both times after his first win."

  
"It's not that."

  
"Then what is it?"

  
"I don't know."

Donghyuck presses his eyes closed and shakes his head. When he opens his eyes he lifts his hands to play with the fading strands of blond on Jaemin's head.

  
"You should colour it soon. It's fading."   
Jaemin closes his eyes at the feeling and Donghyuck can see the satisfied expression on the taller's face. He always loved having someone play with his hair ever since they were children. A sigh leaves Jaemin's lips when he leans into Donghyuck's frame, making himself small to fit under his chin.   
"You're gonna win, and Mark Lee will have no chance." He mutters against Donghyuck's throat. Donghyuck smiles, he has Jaemin.

  
~

  
Donghyuck, of course, wins the next race. And just like every time Mark and he shake hands, because they've become friends. It's easy for Donghyuck to talk to Mark, he smiles when they talk and has fun challenging the older for it's so easy to rile him up sometimes.   
After now almost 5 months of knowing each other Donghyuck can safely say that he likes Mark Lee. They see each other either for races or at Renjun's and Hendery's place but never in private. Donghyuck has decided he doesn't want to go there. Mark is a super nice guy and he could see himself falling but Donghyuck doesn't want to fall. Doesn't want to have to deal with the impact of a fall. He has Jaemin and doesn't think he would ever need someone else.  
He could do that, control his emotions. Not fall in love with Mark Lee.  
So he stays safe.

  
~

  
Donghyuck knew that he had to take a risk at the last turn if he wanted to win. He saw others do it before, some managed and some,,, well some flew out of the course and where lucky if they only broke 3 bones.  
"Hyuck you're on the same page as him, keep it going and it's gonna be fine." He hears Dejun's voice through the headset but deliberately decides to ignore him, pressing down on the accelerator.  
"Donghyuck!" Dejun's voice was louder now, "what are you doing, Slow Down!"  
The drivers eyes stay on the road when he replies. "Jun you and I both know I may not win if I don't take that risk. And we also know I'm able to do it."   
He could almost see his partners concerned face. "But it's not worth it Hyuck." Dejun presses out.  
The turn comes closer with every second. Donghyuck has to make a choice and he already made his, no matter what Dejun thought of this. He wanted to win. He tunes out Dejun's words in his ear.  
Stepping down on the gas one last time, he sees the black car beside him fall behind just inches. It's driver slowing down, like everyone expects the drivers to, this close to a sharp turn.  
He doesn't allow himself to smile, for he hasn't won anything yet. Donghyuck can see the wall and the street taking it's sharp turn to the left into the next alley. Waiting for the exact right moment (and he has to take the perfect moment or everything will be for nothing, his car will fly out of it's course and he will lose) Donghyuck shifts the gear throwing off the flow of his car without decelerating and turning the steering wheel all the way to the left.  
He hears tires screeching and he already feels bad for doing this to his precious car but he also sees the wall coming closer with his car still swerving sideways. The moment he sees the street right in front of him he rips his steering wheel backwards and presses down on the gas with everything he has.  
He's praying.   
The wall is now getting farther away from him.  
Just like the rest of the cars, taking a safe turn behind him.  
Now he smiles.

  
~

  
Racing down the rest of the street is easy. It's a rather narrow alley but it doesn't has any more sharp turns.   
Somewhere between taking this reckless turn and racing down the finish line he hears Dejun's voice again.

"You're a dumbass but that was fantastic."

"I know."

When Donghyuck's car crosses the finish line he hears cheers erupt in his ears. Both from the headset and from the outside.   
The driver presses on the brakes and slows down his car, only turning around in time to see the same black car that was right beside him before, crossing the finish line as well. Donghyuck climbs out of his car and is immediately engulfed in a bone crashing hug by his partner and advisor.  
"You fucking dumbass! Why the hell would you do that?" He hears Dejun's voice right beside his left ear. It's loud but laced with so much happiness Donghyuck can't help but smile even wider. He pushes the boy back to be able to look at his face.

"I did it Jun!" He almost screams out of joy. "I did it, I won!" 

He almost sees tears in Dejun's eyes before he hugs him again, even tighter than before. Until he feels another pair of arms wrap around him and turning him around.  
Jaemin stands there, only a meter in front of him and still in his full gear just like Donghyuck himself. "You are completely crazy Duckie", he says, "and that's what I love about you." Before Donghyuck can reply anything he feels Jaemin place a kiss on his forehead. He holds him close after that.  
Jaemin feels so comfortable and familiar this close to him. Jaemin is still his favourite person in the entire world. He loves him with all his heart. Jaemin's touch always feels reassuring.   
The smaller racer raises his hands, wanting to card them through Jaemin's messy blond hair, but the thick gloves he wears for driving are disturbing him. Pressing against Jaemin’s chest, he pulls them off and holds Jaemin by his neck.

When they touch skin to skin nothing happens. They know that. They're not soulmates, there are no flower marks gracing their skin when they touch. They don't want to be, this is just comfortable. To have someone you can trust, you can lean on.

After a moment Donghyuck finally realises there's still people bustling around them. He leans back and pushes a strand of hair behind Jaemin's ear. The taller boys smile is blinding and Donghyuck laughs.

"Why are you smiling so bright? I beat your ass with that move out there." 

Now it's Jaemin's turn to laugh. "Oh you did Hyuck, you beat all our asses out there and I am so proud of you." Donghyuck's chest is swirling. He frames the other's face with his bare hands and smiles.

"Yo, Lee." 

Donghyuck turns around. Walking towards him is Mark Lee, owner of the very black car he just barely left behind with his risky move at the last turn, that came in second.   
In the one year they've known each other know it's been a constant push and pull. Sometimes Mark wins, sometimes (so far, more often) Donghyuck wins.  
And right now, just like always (it's a ritual at this point, no matter who won) Mark comes over for a handshake.

"That was a very risky move", Mark says before he comes to a stop in front of Donghyuck, "but I have to admit the execution was very good. Won fair and square." 

He raises his hand and Donghyuck is about to take it into his own.

"Don't praise me too much, Lee", he jokes, "I might start to think you lik--" his voice breaks when he feels the tingling on his skin.  
It starts in his heart, spreads through his arm and fingers until it reaches his fingertips.   
He knows what this means but he still looks down to where his hand is shaking Mark's. Both without gloves. Skin on Skin. With Flower marks tingling around each other.  
Donghyuck freezes for a moment. No no no, I didn't plan this. He almost stares at the stems and petals gracing his skin. Tracing Mark's skin, he follows Mark's arm with his eyes until he comes up to his face, they're gazes locked.

As if burned Donghyuck rips his hand back, the flower on his hand slowly disappears. But it's too late, he saw them, Mark saw them, everyone saw them.   
But the worst is.  
Donghyuck feels them.

  
~

  
"Donghyuck, would you please look at me."   
Jaemin's voice is strained, close to being pained. He has tried speaking to Donghyuck for 2 hours now. But the other boy is refusing to answer, refusing to be touched even.

Right after the "handshake" with Mark, the blonde tried to hold Donghyuck, seeing the terror and pain on his face. But when he touched his hand Donghyuck didn't even look at him, he recoiled and ran back to his car. Even when Dejun tried calling him back, Donghyuck had won the race, he had a ceremony and prize to take, everyone there was waiting for him, he didn't even turn around. But in that moment Donghyuck wanted to be anywhere but at the racing course. Where everyone was looking at him. Where Mark was.  
So Donghyuck ran to his car, turned on the engine and drove out of there as fast as he could. 

He stopped when he arrived home and has been sitting on the couch ever since. Not responding to anything Jaemin said to him so far. It feels weird, he feels so bad. 

  
"Donghyuck please", Jaemin tries again, sitting next to the other boy rolled up on the couch, "I know this sucks but please, we have to at least talk about it."  
Donghyuck looks up for the first time, "What is there to tall about it?" He whimpers. He's not crying, there are no tears. But Donghyuck's voice is laced with so much pain. So much unnecessary pain.   
Donghyuck feels so tiny sitting there on that couch. The person he wants to love right in front of him. Jaemin felt so good, felt so right. Donghyuck never planned on finding his soulmate, never thought he even had one. 

Not everyone in this world has a soulmate, or some just never find theirs. You don't need a soulmate to be happy or to find a person to spend your life with. Of course Donghyuck was aware that Jaemin is not his soulmate, you can't miss that fact. But he also never thought that he would ever suddenly find a soulmate so he wasn't ready for change.  
And most importantly not Mark Lee.

Donghyuck has done his best with trying to stay away from him in any kind that was not friendly. He had all of this under control, why was it being ripped away from him now?  
Donghyuck looked at Jaemin again and he just couldn't hold it in. "I'm so sorry." His whole face contorted into pain. He felt so horrible.

"Oh no", Jaemin rushes over and slings his arms around Donghyuck's shoulders und murmurs in his ear. "What are you apologising for?" He holds the smaller's hands in his. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You found your soulmate, isn't that good?"   
Donghyuck leans back, "How is that good? I never wanted a soulmate. I never wanted to find this 'real love' shit. I'm happy with you." 

Jaemin smiles carefully, stroking his thumb over Donghyuck's hand, “First of all, this 'real love' is not shit."   
"It is!" Now Donghyuck looks a bit angry, "I don't want to love him just because we are soulmates."

"But you already love him!" Jaemin is not screaming but his voice rings loud and clear inside Donghyuck's head when he emphasises his statement.

"You already like him at least." His voice is a little softer now.

"I don't. I can't. I never got even close to him I have this under control."

"But I see the way you look at him. And I know it may not be love yet, but Hyuck. You and him hit off instantly and I see how you smile at him and I also know how much you think about him, even if you don't want to."

Donghyuck doesn't want to hear it. He knows it's partly true but he spent the last year stopping himself from falling for Mark Lee. He won't throw that away just because he found out that they're soulmates.   
"And I know you like him and that you may have been holding yourself back, and I don't even get why." 

Donghyuck doesn't even know why he is doing it himself. Maybe he's still hoping to fall in love with Jaemin, for Jaemin to fall in love with him. They love each other but they're best friends, he knows there's nothing else between them but Jaemin feels so good he doesn't want anything else. He's afraid of anything else.

"Give this a chance Donghyuck. Let yourself fall, fall even deeper than you have."

Oh Donghyuck is so afraid of this fall. He was so afraid of this fall, it feels like he's been falling since forever.   
"I don't even know how to approach him after that," he sniffles. "I left him standing there and ran away when I found out he's my fucking soulmate. I'm so horrible."  
"You're not horrible," Jaemin chuckles. "And I can assure you, Mark is as confused as you."  
Donghyuck already feels more at ease.   
"Which by the way, I am as well. How come you only find out now, that you're soulmates. All the times we met at after parties or at Renjun's apartment. How come you have never touched him."

"I don't know." 

Donghyuck rests his chin on his knees and hugs them with his arms. "It just never happened. At the course we always wore gloves and at parties I stayed away from him. So it never happened, until today. Why today?"

Jaemin goes back into hugging his best friend, "Hey, we'll figure this out. Just promise me that you won't shut him out. He's your soulmate, please enjoy that."  
"I promise, I'll try."  
Donghyuck hopes, but he doesn't know.  
In his head he keeps falling.

  
~

  
The next time Donghyuck sees Mark is only a few days later. Three to be exact, Saturday at a party Yangyang dragged him to.  
It's awkward, so so awkward.   
Because even though Donghyuck and Mark never really interacted, he felt like he needed to now. One look at Mark confirmed that the latter was nervous as Donghyuck was. 

Donghyuck didn't really know what to do. He wanted to talk to Mark, he had to but he couldn't really go up to him and just start a conversation. He was lucky nobody around them seemed to address the moment that happened three days ago at the race. So Donghyuck just gave an awkward wave to everyone gathering in the club and then instantly dragged Dejun to dance with him.  
His thoughts were all over the place but the more he danced, the more he gave himself into the music and the laughter with one of his best friends, Donghyuck relaxed.   
Dejun abandoned him after some time to dance with his boyfriend, so Donghyuck went to the bar to get himself a drink. When he turned around from there he was suddenly face to face with the one and only Mark Lee. The younger let out a gasp, almost dropping his drink. Hadn't it been for Mark's quick reaction to grab his hand and steady the glass inside it.   
The moment they're skin came into contact Donghyuck could feel the tingling in his skin. Before it could reach his hands he withdrew his hand from Mark's. The other quickly realised and put his own hands into his pockets. Mark looked a bit lost, smiling at Donghyuck and opening his mouth just to close it again.

  
"Hi." He settled with at the end.

  
"Hey."

Donghyuck didn't know what else to say. He was bad at small talk, especially with his soulmate.

"I-" the older stopped for a second and takes a deep breath like he’s preparing for s longer speech. He mumbled something under his breath before he finally looked Donghyuck in the eyes and started talking. 

“I can totally understand if you’re uncomfortable with this whole situation, because believe me I also really have no clue how exactly I’m supposed to react to all,,, this. So when you still don’t want anything to do with me, I could understand that. I can respect if you say that you don't feel anything for me, but... but Donghyuck since the day we met for the first time I always wanted to get to know you more. Always wanted to be able to finally talk to you about more than just the next race and I feel like this may be my first and only real chance to do so.”

The boy in front of Donghyuck looks conflicted. Like he doesn't really knows how to form his words, if this is even the right decision or if he will come out if this hurt and broken. But there's also determination in his eyes. There's hope.  
"You're intriguing and I know this is gonna be awkward as fuck but--" his voice breaks off again at the end and he looks almost a bit embarrassed. "But I can't just ignore everything that happened. I want to try, at least as friends."  
Donghyuck stands there and doesn't really know what to do. He's overwhelmed because he painted so many scenarios of how this would go in his head, but not one comes close to this. He's still too afraid to touch Mark, the tingling feeling still too foreign to him. So he clears his throat and Mark looks up at his face, so many emotions dancing on his face.  
Donghyuck feels the fall again.  
He smiles at Mark and that seems to take a lot of tension from the other boy.  
"Mark Lee," There's a pause and Donghyuck holds his breath. "Let’s try this."

~

  
After the slightly embarrassing conversation at the party Donghyuck gave Mark his number, the other promising to text him.   
It's been 4 days.  
Donghyuck didn't know what to think. Four days wasn't much but it was also a lot for how eager Mark seemed. He sat on the couch, biting his nails and staring at his phone more than at the TV playing the movie he and Jaemin were watching.  
When Jaemin came back to the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his arms he slapped the older's hand from his mouth.

  
"Stop biting your nails. What are you even so nervous about."

  
Oh Donghyuck hasn't really told him about the encounter with Mark at the club. He couldn't lie to him now.

  
"You remember the party last Saturday, after the race?"

  
Jaemin made a face. "Of course, I was there with you Donghyuck."

"Yeah well,,,, Mark was there as well."

The other nodded at Donghyuck, encouraging him to continue.  
"He kind of talked to me and we agreed on not ignoring our... thing." There was a very long pause after his last word. Donghyuck just didn’t want to say it. It still felt to unreal.

Soulmates.

It sounds weird and foreign to him. He couldn’t bare saying it out loud, not yet at least. 

Donghyuck took a deep breathe an continued telling Jaemin about his and Mark’s conversation. 

“So we said we couldn’t just ignore it and decided to,, to try. As friends.”

Jaemin was already opening his mouth to interrupt but Donghyuck beat him to it.

“And,” he quickly added, “I gave him my number. He promised he would text me but it’s been four days and I haven’t gotten a single call or message. Now I’m confused.” 

Donghyuck was really confused. A little part of him hoped and wished for Mark to text him quickly. He would never admit it out loud but the more he thought about it the more did he realise that maybe he really was bad at keeping his emotions in check. As much as he tried throughout the last year to stay away from Mark and don’t have any feelings for him,, he couldn’t really get away from him. All the races and parties and meet ups. He basically saw Mark at least once a week and just seeing him from a distance, seeing him interact with friends and racing against him.. how could Donghyuck not get to know him and how could he not grow to like him. 

Upon seeing Donghyuck’s inner conflict Jaemin put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure he will text soon. He's probably just as nervous and confused as you are.” He squeezes the smaller’s shoulder and Donghyuck tries to think about something else.

It’s not even 10 minutes later that his phone is vibrating in his pocket. He looks at Jaemin, almost too afraid to look at the devise.

“Go on. Look at your phone, I bet it’s him.” 

“It’s probably not.” Donghyuck grumbles but still takes his phone out if his pocket to look at it.

_**Unknown** _

_Hi!_

_Oh right this is Mark :)_

Donghyuck thinks he might have to marry the guy for still using these emojis. He feels himself smile and sees Jaemin throw him a knowing look before the other goes back to watching the movie and pretending not to be smug or interested.

He saves Mark contact.

**_You_ **  
_Hey Mark :D_

Donghyuck wanted to hit himself for being so awkward, he didn’t know what else to say.   
And Mark apparently also didn’t know because he sat there staring at his phone for at least 3 minutes without a new message before he finally saw the other type again.

  
**_Mark_ **  
_So are you ready for the race on sunday_

_I heard that the course is fairly easy compared to last week._

  
Donghyuck’s fingers danced across the screen, quickly typing out an reply

  
**_You_ **

_Oh yes, you don't stand a chance. I'm in perfect shape._

_**Mark** _  
_I don't doubt that hahaha_

Again, there was a bit of a pause and right when Donghyuck thought of a response he saw the 3 typing points from Mark. Deciding he wanted to wait what the other had to say he stopped typing.

_**Mark** _

_Sorry for already leaving but I kind of already have to go._  
  


_Can't wait to see you tomorrow!_

_Bye Donghyuck :)_

Donghyuck swallowed, with unsure hands he deleted his previous typed message and typed out and easy bye, see you

He put his phone down on the coffee table and leaned back into the backrest of the couch, ignoring Jaemin’s questioning gaze.

Mark Lee was already too much for his weak heart.

The next text from Mark comes not even a day later and it’s much longer that the short messages from the evening before. Donghyuck stands in the kitchen making himself breakfast before he has to go to work when his phone screen lights up, showing a new message from his Soulmate.

He scrambles to the dinner table, quickly grabbing his phone and reading through the message already with a big smile on his face. It’s in that moment that Donghyuck realises how much Mark already does mean to him, no matter how much he also tried to deny it for the last year. There’s just something about him that pulled Donghyuck in, even from the distance he always maintained.

His eyes focus on the words on his phone, reading them carefully because he doesn’t want to miss even a single thing.

**_Mark_ **

_Hey Donghyuck, I know my messages from yesterday were cut short but i really wanted to ask if maybe you'd have time and wanted to do something on Friday evening? Just the two of us._  
  


The moment he’s done reading the message and understanding the meaning behind these few little words on his screen he wants nothing more but to scream. 

He wants to scream because he wants nothing more than to say yes, to say yes to the boy that’s been on his mind for the last 12 months, say yes and get to know him to the very core, have his very own love story.

But he also wants to scream because this is everything he tried to prevent from happening for the last 12 months, the love and inevitable pain that comes with it, the bad ending this story could have. 

He’s so afraid. So afraid to love. To be loved but also to be hurt. Love always hurts.

But love is also one of the best things he’s ever seen. He sees it everyday in Yangyang and Dejun, feels it everyday in Jaemin.

Jaemin who would be so supportive and would probably try to strangle him for even thinking of rejecting Mark now. He laughs at himself for second, before his eyes flit back to the phone in his hand. The message still unanswered.

Donghyuck takes a deep breath and starts typing out his reply with a pounding heart. 

**Author's Note:**

> chapter 2 in the making!!
> 
> please let me know what you think and what to do better.
> 
> twitter: @/hyuckini00


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